Clearwater Police Say They Caught the ‘Bic Bandit’

He stole the lighters from a convenience store on four separate occasions, Clearwater police said.

CLEARWATER – Clearwater police said they have found the man who stole a bevy of Bic lighters from a convenience store on four separate occasions.

Norris Thompson, 54, of Largo is charged with two counts of petit theft (two or more priors), two counts of petit theft (felony), two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count each of retail theft (felony), possession of cocaine, and robbery (implying deadly weapon or firearm). Some of those charges are in connection with thefts from a Publix where, officers said, he stole frozen shrimp and fried chicken.

The Bic lighters were all stolen from the 7-Eleven at 657 Court St. Police said in each case, Thompson entered the store, spent a short time there and then grabbed a display full of lighters – one time as many as 50 were taken – and ran out the door. One time he was seen getting on a red bicycle; another time he ran from the scene.

On one occasion when the clerk followed him outside to confront him, Thompson told the clerk: “I’ve been to prison, man. I got a knife and I’ll slice you up.”